Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tuesday tidbits - in the workroom

The last several days have been all about enameling, as one of the two regalia projects due at the end of the month required the completion of a new stamped/engraved/enameled Laurel as a component. Since it does not make sense to fire up the kiln for only one piece, it seemed a good idea to work on some of the other, not quite as immediately needed pieces as well.

Of course, all this work happens in the evening, and sometimes is so absorbing that I work long into the night. Monday night/Tuesday morning I finally stopped well after midnight, and before turning in, went out in the yard to check on the hens, and turned right around to go get my camera - the moon was so bright and beautiful

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on workbench and in kiln, the enamels gradually take their form...

A close view of a cloisonne laurel enamel, with stamped and wiggle-cut engraving underneath the transparent background.

These two enamels are fairly early work of mine, and are from the double-sided medallion of Kylson Skyfyre. (I forgot to take a picture before I worked on them, they were well and truly cracked, and when removed from their settings, large chunks of the enamel FELL OFF) Now that the enamels have been repaired, they will be replaced in their original setting, and take the long journey back to Oertha

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While in other news, yesterday I saw a new-to-me bird in the neighborhood. thought is was some kind of mutant goldfinch, a bit larger, more the size of a robin, and with a red head; but with a bit of online research, found out that it was, in fact, a western tanager. Very bright and beautiful.